Char Lourd M103

The M103 Heavy Tank was developed at the beginning of the Cold War with the express purpose of engaging and defeating Soviet JS-3 and T-10 heavy tanks at long range. Like its British counterpart, the Conqueror, the M103 was heavily armed and armoured, but very expensive, much too heavy for the bridges in Central Europe, seriously underpowered and very slow, as a result. Although the M103 quickly proved to be a failure, and was superceded by the successful M60 Patton, the US Armed Forces continued their quest for a heavy tank with a number of new designs, none of which continued beyond the prototype stage. The 1:87 scale ROCO model of the M103 heavy tank pictured above has been painted »Marine Corps Green«, like some of the museum vehicles on display in Great Britain and the USA.

Chrysler in Newark had built a series of 300 T43E1 heavy tanks from 1953 to 1954, which turned out to be useless and were put into storage in August of 1955. Following a great number of improvements, these vehicles were redesignated M103 Heavy Tank and returned to service. The US Army received 80 M103 heavy tanks, and the US Marine Corps the remaining 220 vehicles which served in an infantry support role.

Déploiement Historique

2nd Battalion, 33rd Armor Regiment, US Army, 1957-1963

One M103 Tank Company per Marine Tank Battalion, US Marine Corps, 1957-1973

The US Army deactivated its heavy tanks in 1963 and replaced them with the new M60 Patton main battle tank. The US Marine Corps retained its M103 heavy tanks until M60 Patton tanks became available in 1973. Even though the M103 heavy tank never saw combat it is a valuable model for wargamers interested in recreating fictitious Cold War battles in miniature.